Newly opened Old Tyme Shoppe has 'all kinds of stuff'

Curiosity Shopping

Donald Rohlfer of Evansville examines a 1987 Indiana University poster celebrating the basketball team’s sixth national championship. “Is that an IU original deal or a repro or what?” he asked. “It’s an original,” Serena Mc-Kinney replied. “How about out-the-door for $25?” he asked. “I can do that.”

DENNY SIMMONS / COURIER & PRESS

Photographs by DENNY SIMMONS / COURIER & PRESS
Serena McKinney wades through the merchandise in one of her window displays at the Olde Tyme Shoppe, 255 N. Main St., Oakland City, Ind., to retrieve an item for a potential customer on Tuesday afternoon.

DENNY SIMMONS / COURIER & PRESS

A fold-up featherbed occupies a prominent place on the floor of Serena McKinney's Olde Tyme Shoppe in Oakland City, Ind. A wooden captain's wheel hangs suspended from ceiling wire left over from the old drop ceiling. Scores of other interesting items — antiques, collectibles and crafts — surround the shoppers looking around the day-old curiosity shop.

After nearly 15 years working at Toyota where "walking nonstop on concrete all day and all night took its toll," McKinney had her grand opening on July 1. Not quite full, the shop nevertheless has plenty of merchandise and, according to McKinney, bears a resemblance to her own home.

"We collect all kinds of stuff," McKinney said of her and her significant other of 24 years, Jeff Gray's hobby. "My house has all kinds of things in it from clocks to washers to sewing machines. You name it. There's not one certain thing I like, which is a good thing. I like a little bit of everything and anything, and so does he."

"Before I-69 bought me out, I had been collecting stuff about 10 years. I didn't have a home, so I didn't have any place to store it. I had to auction it off," she said with more than a hint of bitterness over the whole ordeal.

"Slowly, but surely, I just kind of re-collected," she said.

"I had started working on this building, and it's been a chore. I had to tear walls out, windows out, carpeting out all the way through. It had that big, thick red shag carpeting," she said with a laugh. "I couldn't walk from here to there without falling through the floor. I couldn't open the door because the door was rotting off."

Matt Malin, principal at Oakland City Elementary School, after getting a look at the new business, was impressed.

"This is cool. You guys have done great, Serena. We'll be back," he said.

"I know I'll get Lori (his wife) in here. I'm kind of afraid of getting her in here, but I'll get her in here."